Reeling mechanism for sewing machines



Feb. 1l, 1969 A. MoRo 3,426,713

REELING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July l5, 1964 nvenlor 4A/rama /I//oeo A tlorney United States Patent O 3,426,713 REELING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Antonio Moro, Piazza lo 6, Milan, Italy Filed July 15, 1964, Ser. No. 382,704 Claims priority, application Italy, July 24, 1963, 37,457 U.S. Cl. 112-218 5 Claims Int. Cl. D!) 59/00; B65h 54/18 This invention relates to a reeling mechanism for use in winding thread on the shuttle bobbin of a sewing machine, the mechanism being associated with the machine itself and being adapted to be accommodated within the structure thereof when it is not to be used.

Various types of such reeling mechanisms are already known, and they have the advantage `of being readily available to the user and of conserving the aesthetic lines of the sewing machine, obviating any increase in the dimensions of the machine itself, and not being exposed to damage due to accidental shocks and the like when not in use.

The reeling mechanism according to the invention provides, as compared with known mechanisms of conventional construction, important improvements in the construction, assembly, manufacture and operation, which make it more efficient and convenient to use and reduce its cost, with important advantages for the manufacturer and for the user.

The mechanism according to the invention comprises a T-shaped support formed in a single injection molding operation in one piece of synthetic plastic material, with a pair of coaxial pivots aligned with the cross-bars of the T-shaped support and projecting from its ends and being located in cylindrical seatings in the casing of the machine, a shaft for carrying a bobbin rotatably mounted in a sleeve which is movable axially but non-rotatable in the said support, and a friction wheel solid with the shaft and urged by resilient means into engagement with means for imparting rotation. The Said sleeve is provided with two diametrically opposed fixed pivots projecting externally from it and movable in channels in the upright of the T-shaped support in the longitudinal direction of the said upright, the said resilient means acting on the said pivots to urge the sleeve with the shaft in a direction such as to effect the engagement of the friction wheel of the shaft with the said means adapted to impart rotation, the said means preferably being constituted by the hand wheel of the sewing machine.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse section taken through the arm of a sewing machine and passing through the axis of the shaft of the reeling mechanism, and

FIG. 2 is a section along the said arm on the line II-II of FIG. l.

Referring to the drawing, the reeling mechanism comprises a support 1, a sleeve 2 and a bobbin carrying shaft 3 solid with a friction wheel 4. The support 1 is made from synthetic resin of suitable type, in a single injection molding operation, without the need for any subsequent finishing and/or precision operations. It is made in one piece which is substantially of T-shape, with a cylindrical upright 5 formed with two slots 6 and a cross-bar 7 from the ends of which project two coaxial pivot pins 8 aligned with the said cross-bar. The said pivots rest in upwardly open cylindrical seatings 9 in the casing 9a, and `are kept in place by two rolled edges 10 on lugs 11. The support 1 can thus turn through a limited angle about the axis 8' of the pivots 8. The sleeve 2 which is slidably disposed within the cylindrical upright 5 of the support 1 is closed by a hollow cylindrical member which is preferably made from metal, from which two coaxial pivot Patented Fel). 11, 1969 ICC pins 12 project outwardly near one of its ends. When the sleeve 2 is inserted into the support 1 the two pins 12 are located in the two slots 6 in the support, in which they can slide but not rotate. This arrangement likewise permits the sleeve 2 only to perform axial movements, rotary movement thereof being prevented. Within the sleeve 2 is rotatably mounted the bobbin shaft 3 which car-ries at one end th efriction Wheel 4 and is shaped at the other end for the reception of a bobbin on which thread is to be wound.

Two leaf springs 13 act on the ends of the pins 12 of the sleeve 2. The ends of these springs are of inverted V form, the rest of each spring being straight. They engage the pins 12 in different ways according to whether the support 1 is in operative position or rest position. The first of these positions is shown in full lines in both figures of the drawing, and corresponds t-o a vertical position of the bobbin shaft 3. In this case the springs 13 engage the pins 12 by their V-shaped parts and urge the sleeve 2 and therewith the shaft 3 towards the control ring 14 fixed to the hand wheel of the sewing machine, the friction wheel 4 engaging with the ring 14 for the transmis- `sion of rotary motion.

In this position therefore when the hand wheel is in rotation the bobbin B mounted on the shaft 3 is rotated. When the bobbin has been filled and removed from the shaft, the shaft is urged in the direction of the arrow 15. The reeling mechanism then overcomes the pressure of the springs 13 and, rotating about the axis 8', comes into the position indicated at 16 in thin lines in FIG. 2.

This is the rest position of the reeling mechanism, in which the springs 13 no longer engage the pins 12.

The springs 13 are adjustable horizontally. By unfastening the screws 17 the position of the V-shaped end can be adjusted so as to bring the axis of the shaft 3 into the correct position viz. normal to the mean direction of the thread 18 being wound (FIG. 2), because only under these conditions is the bobbin evenly filled.

A fixed cover 19, partly shwon in the drawing, covers the reeling mechanism leaving only the movable part free and visible.

Another cover 20 which can turn on hinges and which is indicated diagrammatically in FIG. l completely covers the reeling mechanism when not in use, and completes the external lines of the arm of the machine.

To prevent the thread 18 from being accidentally caught between the shaft 3 and the sleeve 2 a cap 21 is force-fitted onto the shaft 3 and covers the end of the sleeve 2.

The operation and use of the reeling mechanism are simple and will now be described.

The cover 20 is raised, and then the reeling mechanism is raised by urging it in the direction opposite to the arrow 15, thus causing the mechanism to rotate about the axis of the pins 8 until the two pins 12 become engaged in the V-shaped ends of the springs 13. The pressure of these springs on the pins 12 causes the friction wheel 4 to bear against the control ring 14 so that when this rotates, the shaft 3 and hence the bobbin B also rotate, drawing and winding onto the bobbin the thread 18 supplied from a reel or bobbin (not illustrated) via a thread guide of known type (not illustrated), mounted on the upper part of the arm and as far as possible from the reeling mechanism. By making the distance between the thread guide and the bobbin B about equal to the length of the arm that is relatively long filling of the bobbin takes place in a very even manner.

When filling of the bobbin B is completed, it is removed from the shaft 3, the reeling mechanism is returned to its rest position, and the cover 20 is returned to the position in which it covers the reeling mechanism.

What I claim is:

1. A sewing machine having a hand wheel with a control ring, wherein the improvement comprises a reeling mechanism comprising a T-shaped support, means mounting the support on the sewing machine for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a hollow cylindrical portion forming the upright of the T, a hollow sleeve at least partially disposed within said cylindrical portion for axial sliding movement in and relative to said cylindrical portion, a pair of pins projecting laterally from the outer surface of the sleeve beyond said cylindrical portion, a bobbin shaft mounted for rotation in the sleeve, a friction wheel xed to one end of the shaft, and resilient means acting on said pins urging the sleeve and the shaft in a direction to press the friction wheel into driving engagement with said control ring for imparting rotary motion to the friction wheel upon turning of the hand wheel.

2. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, there being a pair of slots through the walls of said cylindrical portion, said slots being substantially parallel to the axis 20 of said cylindrical portion, said pins extending through said slots.

3. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 2, said resilient means comprising a pair of leaf springs having at 'one end a V-shaped portion within which said pins are disposed, and means adjustably mounting the other ends of the leaf springs on the sewing mcahine for adjustment of the position of the leaf springs in the direction of their length.

4. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, said T- shaped supporting being formed in one piece from synthetic plastic material.

5. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, and a cap encompassing the bobbin shaft and covering the end lof the sleeve from which the shaft projects, said cap preventing the accidental insertion of a thread being wound on the bovvin, between the shaft and the sleeve during operation of the sewing machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,871,809 2/1959 Moro 112-218 2,430,932 11/1947 Hohmann 112-218 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,084,523 7/1954 France. 1,121,711 5/1956 France. 539,947 2/1956 Italy.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 242-20 

1. A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A HAND WHEEL WITH A CONTROL RING, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES A REELING MECHANISM COMPRISING A T-SHAPED SUPPORT, MEANS MOUNTING THE SUPPORT ON THE SEWING MACHINE FOR VERTICAL SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL PORTION FORMING THE UPRIGHT OF THE T, A HOLLOW SLEEVE AT LEAST PARTIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION FOR AXIAL SLIDING MOVEMENT IN AND RELATIVE TO SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A PAIR OF PINS PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE BEYOND SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A BOBBIN SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN THE SLEEVE, A FRICTION WHEEL FIXED TO ONE END OF THE SHAFT, AND RESILIENT MEANS ACTING ON SAID PINS URGING THE SLEEVE AND THE SHAFT IN A DIRECTION TO PRESS THE FRICTION WHEEL INTO DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONTROL RING FOR IMPARTING ROTARY MOTION TO THE FRICTION WHEEL UPON TURNING OF THE HAND WHEEL. 